Merlyn

Chapter Two

"Someone gonna tell me where we're going?" Arthur questioned. He raises his eyebrows looking at the back of two men's heads. Neither of them respond nor do they spare him a glance.

"No." The woman behind him replied in a snippy tone. Arthur smirks lightly and manages to shift himself. He readjusts himself on the saddle so he's riding backwards looking at the woman in the blue cloak.

So much has happened within a few days. His entire world has changed and he couldn't wrap his head around it. One minute he's going through his normal routine and the next he's pulling a bloody sword out of a boulder of stone.

Suddenly he's no longer Arthur but Arthur Pendragon, the born king. He doesn't want to be king. He wants to go back to Londinium, back to his girls, back to his life. Yet here he is, on some horse with his hands tied.

"So, what is it you're looking at, then?" Arthur asks after a moment of simply staring at her. She doesn't answer him. Her eyes flicker towards the necklace hanging from his neck, a crystal. She recognizes it and frowns her eyebrows slightly with curiosity. "Are you falling for me like I'm falling for you?" The woman glares at him and closes her eyes. "We wanna be careful" He continues to tease when his horse rears up knocking him to the ground. "That's a neat trick. You'll have to teach me how to do that."

"Put him back on his horse" The woman orders prancing away from him. Arthur sighs and stands up, shaking the sand off of him. He glances into the distance as he goes towards his horse.

He freezes and looks into the distance again. He notices a figure. He cannot tell if it's a man or woman, the cloak hides them. They sit upon a large black horse. 

"Friend of yours?" Arthur asks one of the men, Rubio, traveling with him. They glance at each other before looking back to the figure. They watch the horse paw at the ground before disappearing into the horizon.

"We keep moving" The woman orders not looking phased by figure in the distance. Arthur sighs and climbs back onto his horse. They continue on.

Eventually they stop to make camp. Arthur sits at the rear with the woman slightly in front of him and the two men even further ahead. He looks around wondering if he'd find the figure that's been following them. He's seen them two more times after the first. None of the others seemed to worry making Arthur all the more curious about their shadow.

"It's quite dangerous being one of you lot, isn't it?" Arthur wonders as a giant eagle lands by the woman. "You're good with animals, aren't you?" His question is met with silence. "The have a word for that, don't they?... Mage" He says slowly. "I thought your team was outlawed. Never met one of you in the flesh." He says wondering how much longer it was gonna take before he got a reaction. "I thought you'd be-"

Before Arthur could continue to pester the mage a sound in the distance gains everyone's attention. The sound of swords clashing and cries of pain. Arthur notices Rubio and the other man, Percival, quickly stand with their swords in hand.

With everyone looking in one direction they didn't notice the small group of Blacklegs approaching them from the other side. Arthur notices them at the last second. He shouts out as he rolls away from a swinging sword.

Percival and Rubio instantly come to Arthur's aid. Arthur goes to help but freezes noticing the only other sword available is Excalibur. He almost gives in when the sound of thundering hooves reaches his ears. 

Thinking it's another Blackleg, he reaches for the sword knowing he would need to defend himself. He stops when he notices it's the rider that's been following them. The figure holds a large staff and points it towards the Blacklegs that are attacking Rubio and Percival.

A gust of wind forces them onto their backs making them easy targets for Rubio and Percival to finish them. Arthur looks around for any other attacker but sees none. Rubio and Percival turn their swords towards the rider.

"It's alright" The mage assures them quickly. The three men look at her. Slowly, Rubio and Percival lower their swords. "You shouldn't have come" The mage tells the rider. "It is too risky"

"Let me worry about the risks" The rider says. Arthur frowns his eyebrows. The voice is familiar but he cannot remember.

"And who are you?" Percival questions gripping his sword tightly.

"A friend" The rider says lowering their hood.

"An elf?" Rubio questions. "I didn't think there were any left" He mutters to himself.

"We are few in number but we are still alive" She tells him before looking at Arthur. Suddenly he's transported back to a time when he was just a boy. A boy hiding in a boat in a foreign city. A boy being rescued by a beautiful elf.

"Are you lot immortal or something?" Arthur questions tilting his head. She grins pleased that he remembers her.

"In a way" She tells him. "We die just like any man but it takes much more time" Arthur slowly nods. "There's more where they come from, if you wish to make camp, find a place within the forest"

"And who exactly are you?" Rubio questions. "If you're a friend then you'll give us your name"

"Fair enough" She nods slightly. "My name is Merlyn, I'm sure you've heard of me"

"You're Merlyn?" Percival questions. She gives him a single nod.

"I thought you were a man" Rubio blurts out.

"I wish I could say you're the only one but that's a common misconception" Merlyn tells him. "Though I assure you, I am not"

"We should do as she says" The mage advises. "Find cover in the forest" 

"I'll scout ahead," Merlyn announces before looking at the mage. "You know how to find me," She then glances at Arthur. "Try and make it in one piece," Merlyn grins before nudging Arion towards the woods.